Niccolo Machiavelli No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution. - MACHIAVELLI

Machiavelli born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy a political philosopher and diplomat during the Renaissance most famous for his political treatise The Prince (1513)

The Prince cornerstone of modern political philosophy offered a monarchical ruler advice designed to keep that ruler in power recommended policies that would discourage mass political activism and channel subjects' energies into private pursuits

Wanted to persuade the monarch that he could best preserve his power by the judicious use of violence, by respecting private property and the traditions of his subjects, and by promoting material prosperity.

Machiavelli held that political life cannot be governed by a single set of moral or religious absolutes, and that the monarch may sometimes be excused for performing acts of violence and deception that would be ethically indefensible in private life.

During the Renaissance Italy was a scene of intense political conflict involving the dominant city-states of Florence, Milan, Venice, and Naples, plus the Papacy, France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire. Each city attempted to protect itself by playing the larger powers off against each other.

The result was massive political intrigue, blackmail, and violence The Prince was written against this backdrop, and in its conclusion Machiavelli issued an impassioned call for Italian unity, and an end to foreign intervention.

Machiavelli suggests… The ideal prince employs strength of character, intelligence, skill, luck and courage, which is what the astronauts referred to as The Right Stuff. He must also scrutinize his own motives in order to appear well-behaved and appear to act on principle, even if he does not actually follow these beliefs.

26 Chapters Each chapter contains advice regarding a specific concern that Machiavelli had for the government

Terms to know Renaissance Monarchy